


Late night, wrong turn

by epersonae



Series: The Director [8]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Gen, Nostalgia, Spoilers, Unrequited Crush, munchies, pot smoking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-02
Updated: 2017-05-02
Packaged: 2018-10-26 23:11:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10796730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/epersonae/pseuds/epersonae
Summary: What happens after Taako and Lucretia have a smoke on the quad. Merle is a perfect gentleman. And it's Magnus' turn to make pancakes.





	Late night, wrong turn

**Author's Note:**

> Set between Under the Milky Way Tonight and A week at a day spa, but only needed context is that Lucretia was up with insomnia and then got high with Taako. Implied IPRE Magnus/Lucretia.
> 
> I'm not sure why this took so dang long to write; hitting the right balance of goofy and maudlin is hard? Anyway, enjoy baked and pining Lucretia!

Lucretia laid her head against the door with a sigh. This was a foolish idea, born of getting high, forgetting what needed to be done. It was time to go back to bed. Her own bed. 

Then the door opened. For half a second, her foolish heart leapt, and Magnus’ name almost escaped her lips.

But it was Merle, in board shorts and slippers, his mostly-white hair flying in all directions.

“Uh, Lucretia, I mean, Madame Director? I thought I heard something - what are you - I mean, is there a mission?”

She laughed with relief. Of course, a mission.

“No, no, just a wrong turn. I’m so sorry.” She lost the train of thought in another burst of low laughter that threatened to turn hysterical.

Merle squinted up at her.

“Ma’am, are you all right?”

He was so  _ concerned _ . 

“I’m afraid I’ve stolen, I mean, by the transti -- transitive property of --” and now she couldn’t stop laughing “ well, not to throw an elf under a fantasy bus, Taako --”

“Pan dammit! Taako stole my weed and got you high?”

“Well that last bit was my choice.”

That made him laugh.

“Then maybe I wish I’d shared it with you myself.”

She leaned down and kissed his forehead.

“You’ve always been so thoughtful, Merle Highchurch, as long as I’ve ever known you.”

“Well, since you’re here, come in and have a drink of water, put your feet up on the sofa. You know, make yourself comfortable.”

While he headed towards the kitchen, she went to the center of the common room and pulled back the corner of the rug. Below her spread a vista of the planet far below, winds blowing the sands of an unfamiliar desert. She lay down on the floor and pressed her fingers against the window. When Merle returned, she looked up at him wide-eyed.

“We’re trying to save all of that,” she said, “and they don’t even know.” Tears pricked at her eyelids.

“All right, all right, you can’t dwell on it too much.”

He held out his hand, helped her up, and walked her over to the couch.

“Up we go, let’s just get you sitting down, have a little water.”

“I shouldn’t have had that last one. Taako is a very bad influence.” And then she started giggling helplessly. “A very very bad influence.”

“You’re not wrong about that, ma’am, Director.”

“Oh Merle, honey, it’s just me, Lucretia.”

“Ok, ‘just me Lucretia’, how about you just relax here a second.”

She kicked off her slippers and put her feet up on the sofa.

“This is really comfortable.”

She sipped at the water, and now that her mouth wasn’t quite so fuzzy, she was abruptly hungry.

“Could I trouble you for a snack?”

“Lemme see what I can rustle up.”

He dragged a stepstool over to the cupboards and started banging through things, mumbling to himself.

Then one of the doors opened, and Magnus came out wearing a long shirt and no pants. His auburn hair stood on end, his wiry sideburns straight out from his jaw.

“What’s all the commotion?”

She looked at him and waves of dizziness hit her: what has she done? What is she doing? How did she let it come to this? She wanted to jump up, run across the room, throw her arms around him, apologize, confess….

Merle’s voice broke her reverie. “Thanks to Taako, this little lady’s got the munchies.”

Magnus let out a bark of a laugh. “Where is that fucker?”

“Meditating,” said Lucretia. “On the quad.”

“With  _ my _ stash,” added Merle.

“You can yell at him later. In the daytime.” He looked at Lucretia. “I gather you’re hungry.”

She bit her lip.

Magnus headed for the kitchen. “Get outta here, Merle, you’re just making a mess.”

He took out a bowl, jars, a pitcher, some eggs. He was humming a tune she didn’t recognize.

“Pancakes okay?”

Blinking back tears, “yes, that’s great.” A long pause. “Where’d you learn?”

He was still stirring, but his eyes were distant.

“Steven...my mentor...he taught me. I used to make them for Julia.”

“Oh.” Right, Julia. So many dumb layers of jealousy.

But the pancakes smelled amazing. He brought over a huge pile of tiny cakes and a pitcher of amazing fruit syrup, apparently Merle’s handiwork, and she dove in. “These are dope, I had no idea,” she said around a huge mouthful. “Thank you so much, this is perfect.”

Now she was pleasantly full and sleepy, and she smiled. 

“I'm so glad you're all here. We're actually making real progress. And then maybe a little rest….” She sighed. 

Merle and Magnus exchanged a glance. 

“It might be time for you to get on home,” said Merle. “How ‘bout I walk you there?”

“Mmmmm. Yeah. That'd be good.”

She gave one last look at Magnus as he returned to his room, hoping it wasn't too obvious. Then she walked with Merle, down the hall, up the elevator, out into the quad, and over to the dome with her rooms. All in companionable silence. Well, not quite silence: Merle hummed a melody that she recognized as a Pan psalm. He was badly out of tune, but she didn't mind. 

“I believe this is your stop?”

She kissed him, this time on the cheek. 

“Thanks. And tell Magnus thanks again for the pancakes. And don't give Taako too hard a time. He means well.”

  
The next morning, an invitation arrived. Merle's spa trip had been her idea; she hadn't expected that he would invite her along. She smiled and tapped at the note. Perhaps she would… 


End file.
